Then I turned, and lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold a flying scroll.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
As to the suggestion you made in your letter that we should examine together the nature of an oath extorted by force, I beg of you, do not let our discussion turn crystalclear matters into murky ones. If a servant of God were threatened with certain death, so that he should swear to do something forbidden and wicked, he still ought rather to die than to swear, so as not to commit a crime in fulfilling his oath. But in this case, … it was only the persistent shouting of the people that was forcing the man not to any crime but to what could be lawfully done, if it were done. And … the only thing to fear was that a few violent men, mingled with a crowd of mostly good ones, might seize the occasion to start a riot, under pretence of virtuous indignation, and might break out into some accursed disturbance to satisfy their passion for robbery. And when even this fear was unfounded, who would think that perjury could be committed even to avoid certain death, much less loss or some kind of phy...
Eyes of the soul. (Menochius)
Volume. That is, a parchment, according to the form of the ancient books, which, from begin rolled up, were called volumes. (Challoner)
Such are still used in the synagogues. They were usually written only on one side. (Calmet)
Septuagint have read e at the end of megilla, and render "a scythe "(Haydock) indicating chastisement. Aquila and Theodoret have Diphthera, and Symmachus Kephalis. (St. Jerome)
The latter denotes the roller (Haydock) to which the parchment was sewed. (Menochius)
The former signifies a book written on vellum, particularly that in which the poets say Jupiter marks the sins and punishments of mankind. The prophet saw a volume of this nature. (Calmet)
The sins of the people, and the punishment designed for them, were described. It appeared flying, to show that the decree came from heaven. (St. Chrysostom, Il. xxvii. ad pop.) (Worthington)
